ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 07, 2007) – Eight government soldiers were wounded in a clash with Abu Sayyaf militants on a remote village in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, officials said Tuesday.
Officials said a still undetermined number of gunmen were either killed of wounded in the fighting late Monday in the hinterland village of Tiis in Talipao town.
“Eight of out soldiers are wounded in the clash. We believed many terrorists are either killed or wounded in the fighting. There is a pursuit operation going on today,” Major Eugene Batara, a regional army spokesman, told the Mindanao Examiner.
Other reports said troops clashed with members of the Moro National Liberation Front which signed a peace deal with Manila in 1996. Troops and MNLF members had previously clashed in Sulu province, about 950 kilometers south of Manila.
The United States listed the Abu Sayyaf as a foreign terrorist organization and has offered as much as ten million dollars rewards for the capture of its known leaders.
President Gloria Arroyo also set aside more than one hundred million pesos in bounties for the capture of Abu Sayyaf leaders dead or alive. The US is helping Manila defeat terrorism and sent soldiers to train Filipino troops in anti-terrorism warfare. (Mindanao Examiner)
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